PAYE & Salary
PayToolkit's paye & salary articles: practical UK tax guidance, worked examples, and links to the right free calculator for each topic.
If you're paid through PAYE — whether as a full-time employee, part-timer, or someone juggling a second job — this is where we cover how your salary actually gets taxed. That includes Income Tax bands and the Personal Allowance, National Insurance, how tax codes work (and how to spot when yours is wrong), and situations that catch people out like the 60% tax trap between £100,000 and £125,140, or being employed and self-employed at the same time.
Most articles here link straight to a free calculator so you can check your own numbers rather than just read theory. If you want a quick answer right now rather than a full article, try the Take-Home Pay Calculator or the Payslip Checker to confirm your latest payslip matches what you're actually owed.
UK Personal Allowance 2026/27 Explained
What is the UK Personal Allowance in 2026/27? It is £12,570 — the amount you can earn tax-free. Who gets it, who loses it, and how to protect it.
Self EmployedSelf-Employed vs Employed UK 2026/27: Tax Difference Explained
How does tax differ for self-employed vs employed workers in 2026/27? Side-by-side comparison of income tax, NI, expenses, pension, and take-home pay.
Income TaxThe 60% Tax Trap: What It Is and How to Avoid It
Earn between £100,000 and £125,140? You could be paying an effective 60% tax rate without realising it. Here is why — and how to escape it legally.